Agenda Item Name:
Title
Santa Fe River - Hitchcock and Sons Inc. and Hitchcocks Ranch LLC. Option Contracts to Purchase Conservation Easements
End
Presenter:
Charlie Houder / (352) 264-6804
Description:
Staff Requests the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) to approve and exercise the attached Option Contracts to Purchase conservation easements over a total of 2,242.8 acres from Hitchcocks Ranch LLC. and Hitchcock and Sons, Inc. through the Alachua County Forever program. The exercise of these Contracts to purchase Conservation Easements, is the final BoCC action on the acquisition of this project.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
1. Approve and authorize the Chair to exercise Option Contracts to Purchase a Conservation Easement.
a. Hitchcock and Sons Inc. Option Contract
b. Hitchcocks Ranch LLC. Option Contract
2. Approve and authorize the acceptance of title subject to the title exceptions that staff is recommending the Board to accept as listed below in the background section.
3. Authorize staff to execute additional documents as necessary to close the transaction; and
4. Approve the attached budget amendment authorizing the expenditure of funds for due diligence and associated closing costs.
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Prior Board Motions:
5/3/2006 - The Board added the Mill Creek - James Property to the Active Acquisition List as a full price project. This land is now owned by the Hitchcocks.
4/24/2018 - The Board added the Hitchcock Ranch Conservation Easement to the Active Acquisition List as a full price project.
9/22/2020 - The Board approved and authorized the Chair to execute the Program Agreement between the Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) and Alachua County for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program relating to the purchase of a conservation easement over portions of the "Santa Fe River Ranch."
9/29/2020 - The Board approved and executed the Parcel Cost Share Contracts between NRCS and Alachua County for grants to acqui...
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